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You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain
by Jessica Williams Phoebe Robinson<P>A hilarious and timely essay collection about race, gender, and pop culture from upcoming comedy superstar and 2 Dope Queens podcaster Phoebe Robinson <P>Being a black woman in America means contending with old prejudices and fresh absurdities every day. <P>Comedian Phoebe Robinson has experienced her fair share over the years: she's been unceremoniously relegated to the role of "the black friend," as if she is somehow the authority on all things racial; she's been questioned about her love of U2 and Billy Joel ("isn’t that . . . white people music?"); she's been called "uppity" for having an opinion in the workplace; she's been followed around stores by security guards; and yes, people do ask her whether they can touch her hair all. the. time. <P>Now, she's ready to take these topics to the page—and she’s going to make you laugh as she’s doing it. <P>Using her trademark wit alongside pop-culture references galore, Robinson explores everything from why Lisa Bonet is "Queen. Bae. Jesus," to breaking down the terrible nature of casting calls, to giving her less-than-traditional advice to the future female president, and demanding that the NFL clean up its act, all told in the same conversational voice that launched her podcast, 2 Dope Queens, to the top spot on iTunes. <P> As personal as it is political, You Can't Touch My Hair examines our cultural climate and skewers our biases with humor and heart, announcing Robinson as a writer on the rise. <P><b> A New York Times Bestseller</b>
You Can't Win
by Jack BlackWilliam Burroughs' favorite book. A journey into the hobo underworld, freight hopping around the still Wild West, becoming a highwayman and member of the yegg (criminal) brotherhood, getting hooked on opium, doing stints in jail or escaping, often with the assistance of crooked cops or judges. Our lost history revived. With an introduction by Burroughs. A BookSense 77 selection.
You Can't Win: A Story from Life
by Jack BlackA major influence on William S. Burroughs and other Beat writers, this memoir by a drifter and small-time criminal recaptures a hobo world of hopping trains, burglaries, prison, and drug addiction.
You Can't Win
by Jack Black Joe Coleman William S BurroughsYou Can't Win, the beloved memoir of real lowdown Americana by criminal hobo Jack Black, was first published in 1926, then reprinted in 1988 by Adam Parfrey's Amok Press, featuring an introduction by William S. Burroughs.After its Amok Press edition went out of print, You Can't Win found popularity once again with the AK Press edition.Feral House's new version will take this classic American narrative a lot further, including two remarkable nonfiction articles by Jack Black written for Harper's Magazine in the 1920s. Remarkable illustrations by Joe Coleman and new biographical revelations by Donald Kennison will round out the new edition.A full-length feature film of You Can't Win starring Boardwalk Empire's Michael Pitt is expected to be released in spring 2013.
You Changed My Life: A Memoir (Movie Tie-In Edition)
by Abdel Sellou"You Saved My Life" tells the extraordinary true story of the charming Algerian con-man whose friendship with a disabled French aristocrat inspired the record-breaking hit film, "The Intouchables. """SellouOCOs fictional reincarnation, Driss, played to critical acclaim by French comedian Omar Sy in the movie "Les Intouchables," captured the hearts of millions with his edgy charm. aAlready a bestseller in France and Germany, "You Changed My Life" shows us the real man behind SyOCOs smiling face. The book takes us from his childhood spent stealing candy from the local grocery store, to his career as a pickpocket and scam artist, to his unexpected employment as a companion for a quadriplegic. Sellou has never before divulged the details of his past. aIn many interviews and documentaries, he has evaded or shrugged off the question of his childhood and his stay in prison, until now. He tells his story with a stunning amount of talent, with humor, style, andOCothough he denies that he has anyOCohumility. SellouOCOs idiosyncratic and candidly charming voice is magnificently captured in this memoir, a fact to which his friendaPhilippe Pozzo di Borgo testifies in his touching preface for the book. "
You Come Too: My Journey with Robert Frost
by Jay Parini Lesley Lee FrancisRobert Frost observed in his wife, Elinor, a desire to live "a life that goes rather poetically." The same could be said of many members of the Frost family, over several generations. In You Come Too, Frost's granddaughter, Lesley Lee Francis, combines priceless personal memories and rigorous research to create a portrait of Frost and the women, including herself, whose lives he touched.Francis provides a vivid picture of Frost the family man, revealing him to be intensely engaged rather than the aloof artist that is commonly portrayed. She shares with us the devastation Frost and Elinor experienced when faced with tragic illnesses, both physical and mental, and the untimely death of family members. Elinor's own death added to the poet's despair and unleashed complex feelings throughout the family. (Francis's mother would lament the toll taken on Elinor by what she perceived as Frost's "selfishness" in the life he had chosen.)This is also the story of Lesley Frost, Francis's remarkable mother, who struggled to emerge from her celebrated father's shadow, while, as one of the people closest to him, sharing his intuitive impulse to write and to indulge their mutual love of books and poetry. Francis would herself become yet another writer and, like her grandfather and mother before her, a teacher--despite sharing Frost's sense of being "imperfectly academic." In addition, Francis explores Frost's professional relationships with women outside the family, such as the poets Harriet Monroe, Amy Lowell, and Susan Hayes Ward.Francis's invaluable insights into Frost's poetry and her inclusion of previously unpublished family writings and photographs make this book essential to Frost scholarship. But You Come Too will appeal to anyone interested in this great poet's life and work. It also reveals unforgettable stories of strong, independent women and their passion to create and share poetry.
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir
by Maggie SmithINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NPR Best Book of the Year • Time Best Book of the Year • Oprah Daily Best Memoir of the Year &“A bittersweet study in both grief and joy.&” —Time &“A sparklingly beautiful memoir-in-vignettes&” (Isaac Fitzgerald, New York Times bestselling author) that explores coming of age in your middle age—from the bestselling poet and author of Keep Moving.&“Life, like a poem, is a series of choices.&” In her memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, poet Maggie Smith explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself. The book begins with one woman&’s personal heartbreak, but its circles widen into a reckoning with contemporary womanhood, traditional gender roles, and the power dynamics that persist even in many progressive homes. With the spirit of self-inquiry and empathy she&’s known for, Smith interweaves snapshots of a life with meditations on secrets, anger, forgiveness, and narrative itself. The power of these pieces is cumulative: page after page, they build into a larger interrogation of family, work, and patriarchy. You Could Make This Place Beautiful, like the work of Deborah Levy, Rachel Cusk, and Gina Frangello, is an unflinching look at what it means to live and write our own lives. It is a story about a mother&’s fierce and constant love for her children, and a woman&’s love and regard for herself. Above all, this memoir is &“extraordinary&” (Ann Patchett) in the way that it reveals how, in the aftermath of loss, we can discover our power and make something new and beautiful.
You Couldn't Make It Up
by Jeremy KyleThe follow up to the top five Sunday Times bestseller I'm Only Being Honest reveals Jeremy Kyle's lighter side as he opens up on topics such as celebrity, middle age, parenting and Gordon Brown.Love him or loathe him, you can't ignore Jeremy Kyle...Is he the most opinionated man on television or the only man who has the balls to say what we're all thinking? He pulls no punches on stage but when the studio lights are turned down and the cameras stop rolling, what is it really like being Jeremy Kyle, one of the nation's most controversial celebrities? Moreover, how would he cope if the focus of his famed straight-talking was... himself?In You Couldn't Make It Up Jeremy tells us exactly what life is like inside the 'crazy celebrity circus', complete with the rollercoaster ride of his accidental TV career and all the highs and lows of his personal life. Read how he really feels about his fellow celebrities; how he's coping with the minefield that is middle age and being a modern dad; uncover what Jeremy thinks about the true state of the nation and what he'd really like to do to our politicians!Funny, self-deprecating and bursting with his trademark honesty, You Couldn't Make It Up shows us the Jeremy Kyle 'not seen on TV', and it's as entertaining and outspoken as the man who is.
You Couldn't Make It Up
by Jeremy KyleThe follow up to the top five Sunday Times bestseller I'm Only Being Honest reveals Jeremy Kyle's lighter side as he opens up on topics such as celebrity, middle age, parenting and Gordon Brown.Love him or loathe him, you can't ignore Jeremy Kyle...Is he the most opinionated man on television or the only man who has the balls to say what we're all thinking? He pulls no punches on stage but when the studio lights are turned down and the cameras stop rolling, what is it really like being Jeremy Kyle, one of the nation's most controversial celebrities? Moreover, how would he cope if the focus of his famed straight-talking was... himself?In You Couldn't Make It Up Jeremy tells us exactly what life is like inside the 'crazy celebrity circus', complete with the rollercoaster ride of his accidental TV career and all the highs and lows of his personal life. Read how he really feels about his fellow celebrities; how he's coping with the minefield that is middle age and being a modern dad; uncover what Jeremy thinks about the true state of the nation and what he'd really like to do to our politicians!Funny, self-deprecating and bursting with his trademark honesty, You Couldn't Make It Up shows us the Jeremy Kyle 'not seen on TV', and it's as entertaining and outspoken as the man who is.
You Deserve a Drink
by Mamrie HartA riotously funny collection of boozy misadventures from the creator of the YouTube series, "You Deserve a Drink"Mamrie Hart is a drinking star with a Youtube problem. As host of the bawdy cult-hit, "You Deserve a Drink," Hart has been entertaining viewers with her signature concoction of tasty libations and raunchy puns since 2011. Finally, Hart has compiled her best drinking stories--and worst hangovers--into one hilarious volume. From the spring break where she and her girlfriends avoided tan lines by staying at an all-male gay nudist resort, to the bachelorette party where she accidentally hired a sixty year old meth head to teach the group pole dancing, to the time she lit herself on fire during a Flaming Lips concert, Hart accompanies each story with an original cocktail recipe, ensuring that You Deserve a Drink is as useful as it is entertaining.From the Trade Paperback edition.
You Deserve Better: What Life Has Taught Me About Love, Relationships, and Becoming Your Best Self
by Tyler CameronFrom the Bachelorette breakout heartthrob, You Deserve Better will combine Tyler Cameron's life story with a guide for both men and women to building healthy relationships in the tricky world of modern dating, proving why he's the male feminist we never knew we needed. Tyler Cameron impressed fans on The Bachelorette with his ability to discuss difficult topics with a level of emotional intelligence perhaps never seen on reality television. Things like consent and boundaries, respect for women and their decisions, the roots of toxic masculinity in insecurity, and more, he espoused with confidence and genuineness. Tyler seems like a unicorn. He got the world's attention simply by demonstrating a full grasp of respect and no fear of vulnerability and honesty. But shouldn't this be the norm? In this book he'll show that every person deserves a partner who understands and values them, with advice on how to seek out someone like this and how to behave like this for your own someone. Part memoir, part how-to guide for anyone lost in the world of modern dating, and interspersed with practical tips on how to find and foster a meaningful relationship, You Deserve Better will show readers how Tyler C. became Tyler C., the story his fans are dying to know.
You Did WHAT?
by Tova LeighA fantastic collection of funny, moving and outrageous confessions from people from all walks of life, chosen and introduced by popular digital creator and bestselling author Tova Leigh."I was living with a nasty boyfriend who complained I didn't put enough pepper in his egg sandwich. So I dried out some hamster poop and chopped it into tiny pieces. He said it was delicious. Revenge is sweet!"Have you ever wondered what other people get up to when they think no one's looking? Do you have a mortifying secret of your own you've never dared share? Whatever scandalous incidents lie hidden in your past, don't worry: this wonderful collection of funny, sexy, hair-raising and heart-warming confessions will reassure you that you're by no means alone.These confessions have all been curated by bestselling author and digital creator Tova Leigh, who explains just why we should stop being ashamed of our secrets, and instead have the courage to make ourselves vulnerable, speak out and connect. In this ultimate page-turner, there are parenting confessions, sex confessions, workplace confessions, revenge confessions ... not forgetting the all-important bodily fluids confessions! You need never feel embarrassed by your own slip-ups and misdemeanours again."So I was married for nine years and after the divorce, when I was ready to sleep with other men, I signed up on Tinder. After a few dates I was thinking ... why do I give it for free, when men will pay for it? So I became an escort! I did it for about five months and I must say I had the best time ever ... made a lot of money and met some really nice interesting people."
'You Dirty Old Man!': The Authorised Biography of Wilfrid Brambell
by David ClaytonWilfrid Brambell was one of Britain’s most loved and complex character actors. As Albert Ladysmith Steptoe, the unscrupulous rag-and-bone man with questionable habits in Ray Galton and Alan Simpson’s long-running Steptoe & Son, he quickly became a household name with co-star Harry H. Corbett. But despite scores of other successes in roles on stage, TV and film, Brambell died a sad and lonely man.Alongside fame and fortune, ‘You Dirty Old Man!’ reveals how Brambell suffered unbelievable personal heartache, battling an inner turmoil that eventually drove him to drink as his marriage collapsed in the most deceitful circumstances imaginable. His torment led to a secretive life off camera where he did everything possible to stay out of the public eye.Featuring original interviews with film directors Richard Lester, Terence Davies and Tony Palmer, as well as recollections from his own family members, the family of Harry H. Corbett and those who worked alongside him, author David Clayton seeks to re-examine the legacy of a man whose loyal fanbase remains undiminished sixty years on from his heyday.
You Do You: How to Be Who You Are and Use What You've Got to Get What You Want
by Sarah Knight*From the 'anti-guru' author of the smash hit The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k and the New York Times bestseller Get Your Sh*t Together * In The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, our favourite 'anti-guru' Sarah Knight unleashed the power of saying no. In Get Your Sh*t Together, she prioritised the sh*t you need and want to do so you can achieve your hopes and dreams. Now she's back, doubling down on your happiness with her latest message: You Do You. Being yourself should be the easiest thing in the world. Yet instead of leaning in to who we are, we fight it, listening too closely to what society tells us. You Do You helps you shake off those expectations, say f**k perfect, start looking out for number one and keep on with your badass self. From career and finances to relationships and family, lifestyle and health, Sarah Knight rips up the rulebook. Writing about her mistakes and embarrassments in her own personal quest to 'do me' - because nobody gets everything right all day, every day - Sarah Knight shows why you can and should f**k up and teaches you to let yourself off the hook, bounce back and keep standing tall.What everyone is saying about Sarah Knight:'The anti-guru' Observer'I love Knight' Sunday Times 'Life-affirming' Lucy Mangan, Guardian 'Genius' Vogue
You Do You: How to Be Who You Are and Use What You've Got to Get What You Want
by Sarah Knight*From the 'anti-guru' author of the smash hit The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k and the New York Times bestseller Get Your Sh*t Together * In The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, our favourite 'anti-guru' Sarah Knight unleashed the power of saying no. In Get Your Sh*t Together, she prioritised the sh*t you need and want to do so you can achieve your hopes and dreams. Now she's back, doubling down on your happiness with her latest message: You Do You. Being yourself should be the easiest thing in the world. Yet instead of leaning in to who we are, we fight it, listening too closely to what society tells us. You Do You helps you shake off those expectations, say f**k perfect, start looking out for number one and keep on with your badass self. From career and finances to relationships and family, lifestyle and health, Sarah Knight rips up the rulebook. Writing about her mistakes and embarrassments in her own personal quest to 'do me' - because nobody gets everything right all day, every day - Sarah Knight shows why you can and should f**k up and teaches you to let yourself off the hook, bounce back and keep standing tall.What everyone is saying about Sarah Knight:'The anti-guru' Observer'I love Knight' Sunday Times 'Life-affirming' Lucy Mangan, Guardian 'Genius' Vogue (P)2017 Hachette Audio
You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War
by Elizabeth BeckerThe long-buried story of three extraordinary female journalists who permanently shattered the barriers to women covering war. Kate Webb, an Australian iconoclast, Catherine Leroy, a French daredevil photographer, and Frances FitzGerald, a blue-blood American intellectual, arrived in Vietnam with starkly different life experiences but one shared purpose: to report on the most consequential story of the decade. At a time when women were considered unfit to be foreign reporters, Frankie, Catherine, and Kate challenged the rules imposed on them by the military, ignored the belittlement of their male peers, and ultimately altered the craft of war reportage for generations. In You Don&’t Belong Here, Elizabeth Becker uses these women&’s work and lives to illuminate the Vietnam War from the 1965 American buildup, the expansion into Cambodia, and the American defeat and its aftermath. Arriving herself in the last years of the war, Becker writes as a historian and a witness of the times. What emerges is an unforgettable story of three journalists forging their place in a land of men, often at great personal sacrifice. Deeply reported and filled with personal letters, interviews, and profound insight, You Don&’t Belong Here fills a void in the history of women and of war.
You Don't Cry Out Loud: The Lily Isaacs Story
by Lily IsaacsA powerful, unforgettable account of Christ's grace, mercy, and His work in their lives! A talented daughter of Holocaust survivors, Lily Isaacs is a woman who has felt pain and loss, and found the incomparable joy of a life with Jesus Christ. As a new Christian believer, she became estranged from her Jewish parents because of her faith, yet she never walked alone, always clinging to the hope she found in Christ. Throughout her music and that of her children, who together form the beloved and multi-award winning group The Isaacs, you hear the resonating inspirational legacy of this family's faith journey. An autobiographical look at Lily's life, from being a Jewish folk singer to serving as vocalist and matriarch of The Isaacs The powerful account of her struggle with a once unknown faith and how she finally "cried her way to God from the church's back pew" The incredible insights behind heartbreaking moments which were her greatest opportunities of faith. Whether surviving breast cancer or a challenging career, Lily's steady refrain has been one of God's constant love, comfort, and strength. With a remarkable and unforgettable mix of acoustic, gospel, and country music, she and The Isaacs continue to inspire and entertain audiences in churches and on stage around the world!
You Don’t Have to Be a Champion... to Be a Winner!: A journey from Xerox to F1
by Brian SimsFrom fitting wheels to wheelbarrows in a builders' merchant, Brian rapidly climbed the business ladder and became a Xerox salesman. He was unaware that the professional selling skills he was learning would one day propel him into the glamorous and overtly commercial world of F1. A disastrous debut at a racing driver school was the spark that lit his passion for motor racing. Aware of the need for some serious financial backing to be able to take part, Brian embarked on a variety of highly innovative and often extremely entertaining ways of securing sponsorship, including working with the cast of a top 1970s' BBC sit-com, as well as with John Cleese, of Monty Python fame. A chance meeting on a plane with Max Mosley offered an opportunity of managing one of the most popular F1 Grand Prix circuits. This, in turn, led to the heady heights of a factory drive for Mercedes and the establishment of South Africa's first racing driver school. It was only a matter of time before Brian's exceptional sponsorship-acquisition skills took him to F1, where he quickly made a name for himself by securing multi-million pound deals with three of the most sought after global corporations. However, Brian's greatest achievement in motorsport was to establish the Motorsport Industry Association in 1994, in a bid to secure government recognition of the industry in its own right. Once again, Brian's sales skills played a key role. Without ever becoming a household name as a motor racing champion, Brian's story of how he most definitely became a winner is not only inspirational, but highly entertaining, amusing, often irreverent and informative. You Don't Have to Be a Champion... to Be a Winner is the story of Brian Sims, who left school in 1963 with just 5 GCE O-Levels and a shattered dream of following in his father's footsteps as a Royal Air Force pilot.
You Don't Have to Be in Who's Who to Know What's What: The Choice Wit and Wisdom of Sam Levenson
by Sam LevensonThe author and humorist Sam Levenson is quoted hundreds of time each day on Twitter, and his sayings appear on everything from t-shirts to inspirational signs. To read through and savor You Don't Have To Be In Who's Who To Know What's What is to discover much of the source material for his timeless wisdom. It is a treasure trove of topics ranging from family ("Insanity is hereditary; you can get it from your children") to perseverance ("Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.") Levenson's upbringing was as the youngest of eight children in a large Jewish immigrant family in New York. He evolved from a Spanish teacher in Brooklyn to working the Catskills circuit as a comedian and by the 1950s was a fixture in American homes as television personality, appearing and guest hosting numerous times on classic shows like This Is Show Business, Two For The Money, and The Ed Sullivan Show. For several years, he hosted his own variety show on CBS called The Sam Levenson Show, where the set doubled as a school classroom and the guests often evoked Levenson's love of learning, teaching, and family. These experiences informed his lessons about life, family and careers, and make this definitive collections of his views and sayings so timeless.
You Don't Have to Be Your Mother
by Gayle FeldmanA woman 8 months pregnant discovers she has breast cancer. This is a true story and a step-by-step walk, through her discovery, diagnosis, birth of her baby, her breast surgery, and post surgery. A must-read for anyone facing this disease.
You Don't Have to Like Me
by Alida NugentThe author of Don't Worry, It Gets Worse takes on the F-word Alida Nugent's first book, Don't Worry, It Gets Worse, received terrific reviews, and her self-deprecating "everygirl" approach continues to win the Internet-savvy writer and blogger new fans. Now, she takes on one of today's hottest cultural topics: feminism. Nugent is a proud feminist--and she's not afraid to say it. From the "scarlet F" thrust upon you if you declare yourself a feminist at a party to how to handle judgmental store clerks when you buy Plan B, You Don't Have to Like Me skewers a range of cultural issues, and confirms Nugent as a star on the rise.From the Trade Paperback edition.
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir
by Sherman AlexieOne of the most anticipated books of 2017--Entertainment Weekly and Bustle A searing, deeply moving memoir about family, love, loss, and forgiveness from the critically acclaimed, bestselling National Book Award-winning author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Family relationships are never simple. But Sherman Alexie's bond with his mother Lillian was more complex than most. She plunged her family into chaos with a drinking habit, but shed her addiction when it was on the brink of costing her everything. She survived a violent past, but created an elaborate facade to hide the truth. She selflessly cared for strangers, but was often incapable of showering her children with the affection that they so desperately craved. She wanted a better life for her son, but it was only by leaving her behind that he could hope to achieve it. It's these contradictions that made Lillian Alexie a beautiful, mercurial, abusive, intelligent, complicated, and very human woman.When she passed away, the incongruities that defined his mother shook Sherman and his remembrance of her. Grappling with the haunting ghosts of the past in the wake of loss, he responded the only way he knew how: he wrote. The result is a stunning memoir filled with raw, angry, funny, profane, tender memories of a childhood few can imagine, much less survive. An unflinching and unforgettable remembrance, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME is a powerful, deeply felt account of a complicated relationship. *Winner of the 2018 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Non-Fiction
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
by Simon Napier-BellYou probably know Simon Napier-Bell as the manager of the Yardbirds. Or you may know him as the man who managed Marc Bolan, or Japan. You should definitely know him as the man who managed Wham! And if none of these rings a bell, maybe you'll remember him as the man who co-wrote 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' for Dusty Springfield. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me is one of the funniest books you will read and equally provoking. From his revelation that the entire music industry was motivated by sex, to an embarrassing come-on from a suicidal Brian Epstein, it's all shocking stuff. But when you're on the run from the German police with Marc Bolan, brothel-hopping with Keith Moon and generally living the life of Riley at the music industry's expense, it would be a shame not to share those amazing experiences with the rest of the world, wouldn't it? Of all the great pop-music books written, it is worth savouring You Don't Have To Say You Love Me for its brilliant sideways insight into one of the most exciting cultural periods Britain has ever seen.
You Don't Know Me
by Mary Jane Ross Ray Charles RobinsonA deeply personal memoir of the private Ray Charles - the man behind the legend - by his eldest son.Ray Charles is an American music legend. A multiple Grammy Award-winning composer, pianist, and singer with an inimitable vocal style and a catalog of hits including "What I Say," "Georgia on My Mind," "Unchain My Heart," "I Can't Stop Loving You," and "America the Beautiful," Ray Charles's music is loved by fans around the world.Now his eldest son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., shares an intimate glimpse of the man behind the music, with never-before-told stories. Going beyond the fame, the concerts, and the tours, Ray Jr. opens the doors of his family home and reveals their private lives with fondness and frankness.He shares his father's grief and guilt over his little brother's death at the age of five -- as well of moments of personal joy, like watching his father run his hands over the Christmas presents under their tree while singing softly to himself. He tells of how Ray overcame the challenges of being blind, even driving cars, riding a Vespa, and flying his own plane. And, in gripping detail, he reveals how as a six-year-old boy he saved his father's life one harrowing night.Ray Jr. writes honestly about the painful facts of the addiction that nearly destroyed his father's life. His father's struggles with heroin addiction, his arrests, and how he ultimately kicked the drug cold turkey are presented in unflinching detail. Ray Jr. also shares openly about how, as an adult, he fell victim to the same temptations that plagued his father.He paints a compassionate portrait of his mother, Della, whose amazing voice as a gospel singer first attracted Ray Charles. Though her husband's drug use, his womanizing, and the paternity suits leveled against him constantly threatened the stability of the Robinson home, Della exhibited incredible resilience and inner strength.Told with deep love and fearless candor, You Don't Know Me is the powerful and poignant story of the Ray Charles the public never saw -- the father and husband and fascinating human being who also happened to be one of the greatest musicians of all time.From the Hardcover edition.
You Don't Know Me but You Don't Like Me
by Nathan RabinFilled with veteran pop culture writer Nathan Rabin's "trademark humor, quirkiness, and self-deprecation" (USA TODAY) comes a gonzo exploration of two of music's most obsessed fanbases: Phish's neo-hippie following and hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse's "Juggalos." When memoirist and head writer for The A.V. Club Nathan Rabin first set out to write about obsessed music fans, he had no idea the journey would take him to the deepest recesses of both the pop culture universe and his own mind. For two very curious years, Rabin, who Mindy Kaling called "smart and funny" in The New Yorker, hit the road with two of music's most well-established fanbases: Phish's hippie fans and Insane Clown Posse's notorious "Juggalos." Musically or style-wise, these two groups could not be more different from each other, and Rabin, admittedly, was a cynic about both bands. But once he gets deep below the surface, past the caricatures and into the essence of their collective cultures, he discovers that both groups have tapped into the human need for community. Rabin also grapples with his own mental well-being--he discovers that he is bipolar--and his journey is both a prism for cultural analysis and a deeply personal exploration, equal parts humor and heart.